The Saint Chain Game

1. St. Anthony the Great2. St. Yostos 3. St. Severus of Antioch4. St. Shenoute5. St. Elizabeth6. St. Heracles 7. St. Sidhom Bishay8. St. Simon the Stylite9. St. Nicodemus10. St. Onophrius11. St. Ninian12. St. Nehroua13. St. Abel14. St. Longenos Abbot of El-Zugag Monastery15. St. Sarapamon "the Veiled"16. St. Nahum17. St. Moses18. St. Simon the Tanner19. St. Nicholas20. St. Sophia21. St. Anasimon22. St. Nicanor23. St. Rebecca24. St. Athanasius the Apostolic25. St. Abahoor26. St. Repsima27. St. Andrew28. St. Wissa29. St. Abanoub30. St. Barbara31. St. Apakir32. St. Rachel33. St. Longenos the Centurion34. St. Leonides35. St. Samuel the Confessor36. St. Samuel the Prophet37. St. Leontius38. St. Sahak39. St. Karas40. St. Sarah41. St. Hadid42. St. Dioscorous43. St. Sergius 44. St. Silas45. St. Simon (Peter)46. St. Nictarius47. St. Sousennious48. St. Shenousi49. St. Ignatius of Antioch50. St. Sarapamon51. St. Numutius-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yep, you've all seen these before here! Time for another one!

Rules are simple: you post the name of a saint, and the last letter of the saint's name is used by the next person to post the name of the next saint. The association is purely alphabetical, and the aim of the game is to keep it going for as long as we can. When you quote the names of martyrs, that doesn't count as an "M" unless their name begins with an "M," or it's a collection of martyrs, e.g. the martyrs of Ekhmeem.

The whole point of this game as well as to enjoy ourselves (and try to make the longest saint chain ever done), is to share the names of some lesser known saints of the church! People can then look them up in the Synaxarium, and look up any of their sayings or writings for the collective edification of us all.

A problem with this game is going to be repetition: it will get harder as we go along, but please try and ensure that the saint you name hasn't come up before.

Oh, and do bold the saint's name. If you wish to in your post, tell us a bit about the saint, or post a link to the Synexarium, or mention a stanza from their doxology, or a miracle, r interesting fact, so that we all learn, and that the game stays interesting.

And no double-posting please, allow someone to post before you go again :D

"On this day of the year 461 A.D., St. Simon departed. He was born in Antioch in 392 A.D. His father's name was John, and his mother's name was Martha. Many miraculous things happened because of him. Before his mother had conceived of him, St. John the Baptist appeared to her in a dream and told her of her conception and what he would become. At age sixteen, he became a monk in the mountain of Antioch, and he led a great ascetic life in worship and prayer. An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and guided him in his monastic life to the life of St. Pachomius. He excelled in his worship to a level beyond the normal human level, so that he lived alone on a high place like a pillar, for 45 years, during which he ate grass.

This father wrote many useful ascetic teachings, and explained many church books. He departed in peace.

"On this day also, the pure saint Anba Longinus, the abbot of the El-Zugag monastery, departed. He was from Cilicia (in Asia Minor). He became a monk in one of the monasteries, where his father Lucianus became a monk after his wife had died.

When the abbot of this monastery departed, the monks wanted to appoint St. Lucianus an abbot over them, but he refused, for he shunned the vain glory of the world.

He took his son Longinus and went to Syria, where they lived in a church. God revealed their virtues by performing many miracles through them. For fear of the vain glory of this world, Longinus went to Egypt with his father's permission.

When he arrived, he went to the monastery of El-Zugag, west of Alexandria. The monks received him with joy. After the departure of the abbot, the monks appointed Anba Longinus abbot over them, for what they saw of his virtues and his good conduct. Shortly after, his father Lucianus came to him, and they worked together in making the canvas sails of boats, and sold them to support themselves. God performed many miracles and signs on their hands.

Father Lucianus departed from this world in peace, and shortly after, his son, Anba Longinus, departed also.

The prayers of these two saints be with us, and Glory be to our God forever. Amen"

Ah, why did I even bother posting rules? Egyptians never trouble themselves to read the instructions...

St. Moses (Moisees) (martyred with his sister Sarah) (Feast Day 26th Mesra)

"On this day, St. Moses (Moisees) and his righteous sister Sarah, were martyred. They were born to rich, Christian parents. When their parents departed, St. Moisees wanted to give his sister in marriage, and to hand over to her all their possessions, and to go and become a monk. She answered him and said, "If you would get married first, then I also can get married." He said, "I have committed many sins, and I want to become a monk to blot out my sins. I can not attend to the marriage and the salvation of my soul at the same time." She answered him saying, "O my brother, how can you cast me to the snares of this transitory world, while you seek to save your own soul?" He said, "Whatever you wish, I will do." She said, "What you do for your self, I likewise will do for myself."

When he saw her strong determination, he dispersed all their money to the poor and the needy. He took his sister to a convent for virgins, which was outside Alexandria. He also entered one of the monasteries for men. They did not see each other for ten years.

When Emperor Decius incited persecution against the Christians, during the papacy of Pope Demetrius, the twelfth Patriarch of Alexandria, many were martyred. St. Moses (Moisees) sent to his sister Sarah to bid her farewell and to inform her that he wished to shed his blood in the Name of the Lord Christ. She rose up immediately and asked the abbess to release her. After she took the blessings of her sisters the nuns, she joined her brother on his way to Alexandria. They confessed the Lord Christ before the governor. After they had been tortured severely, their heads were cut off, and they received the crowns of martyrdom.